Process of, and apparatus for, moulding confectionery

Abstract

A process and apparatus for producing a moulded soft confectionery item. The soft confectionary item is relatively soft at room temperature and therefore difficult to handle mechanically at room temperature. The confectionery item can be selected from the group consisting of at least one of caramels, fudges, fondant creams, toffees, and jellies, the confectionery item further based on at least one of starch, gelatine, pectin, agar-agar, gum Arabic, and soft fondant creams. The process and apparatus includes a method and apparatus for depositing a liquid form of the confectionery item into a mold, by the use of gravity, subjecting the mold, together with the liquid confectionery item deposited, to a low temperature environment between 0° C. and −196° C. so as to solidify at least the exterior of the deposited confectionery material, and demolding the resulting solidified item of confectionery. The low temperature environment can be facilitated by a cryogenic material that can be in liquid or spray form.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A process for producing a moulded soft confectionery item, that is, a confectionery item which is relatively soft at room temperature and therefore difficult to handle mechanically at room temperature, said confectionery item comprising at least one of a caramel, fudge, fondant cream, toffee, and jelly, the confectionery item based on at least one of a starch, gelatine, pectin, agar-agar, gum Arabic, and soft fondant cream, the process comprising 
       depositing the confectionery item in liquid form into a mould, by the use of gravity,  
       subjecting the mould, together with the liquid confectionery item deposited, to a low temperature environment between 0° C. and −196° C. so as to solidify at least the exterior of the deposited confectionery material, and  
       demoulding the resulting solidified item of confectionery.  
     
     
       2. A process according to claim  1 , wherein demoulding takes place at a temperature between −40° C. and −50° C. 
     
     
       3. A process according to claim  1 , wherein subjecting the mould to a low temperature environment comprises, 
       subjecting the mould to an enclosure, and,  
       wherein demoulding comprises at least one of demoulding within the enclosure and demoulding after exit from the enclosure.  
     
     
       4. A process according to claim  1 , wherein subjecting the mould further comprises providing the low temperature environment by bringing at least the mould into contact with a cryogenic material. 
     
     
       5. A process according to claim  1 , wherein subjecting the mould further comprises bringing a cryogenic material into contact with the confectionery item deposited in the mould. 
     
     
       6. A process according to claim  4 , wherein providing the low temperature environment further comprises providing the cryogenic material in spray form. 
     
     
       7. A process according to claim  1 , wherein subjecting the mould further comprises bringing the base of the mould into contact with a liquid bath of a cryogenic material. 
     
     
       8. A process according to claim  7 , wherein bringing the base of the mould into contact with a cryogenic material further comprises bringing the base of the mould into contact with a combination of a bath and spray of cryogenic material. 
     
     
       9. A process according to claim  4 , wherein providing the low temperature environment further comprises providing the cryogenic material as liquid nitrogen. 
     
     
       10. A process according to claim  4 , wherein providing the low temperature environment further comprises providing the cryogenic material as liquid oxygen. 
     
     
       11. A process according to claim  4 , wherein providing the low temperature environment further comprises providing the cryogenic material as liquid air. 
     
     
       12. A process according to claim  1 , wherein demoulding comprises using a mechanical ejection force. 
     
     
       13. A process according to claim  1 , wherein demoulding comprises using a vacuum force. 
     
     
       14. A process according to claim  1 , wherein demoulding comprises using gravity. 
     
     
       15. A process according to claim  1 , wherein demoulding comprises using a vibrational force. 
     
     
       16. A process according to claim  1 , further comprising providing the mould of resilient material to allow distortion during demoulding. 
     
     
       17. A process according to claim  1 , further comprising subjecting the deposited confectionery to a tamping force before being subjected to the low temperature environment. 
     
     
       18. A process according to claim  1 , further comprising providing a mould as one of a plurality of mould cavities defined by a single body. 
     
     
       19. A process according to claim  1 , further comprising providing a mould that is open-topped. 
     
     
       20. A process according to claim  1 , further comprising providing a mould having two-part form, each part defining a moulding cavity, whereby the two parts are brought together after moulding, so as to form a single item of confectionery. 
     
     
       21. A process according to claim  1 , wherein subjecting the mould to a low temperature environment further comprises subjecting the mould and deposited confectionery to a two-stage low temperature environment having a first stage and a second state, wherein the second stage is at a lower temperature than the first stage. 
     
     
       22. A process according to claim  1 , wherein subjecting the mould to a low temperature environment further comprises subjecting the mould to a freezing process that makes use of cryogenic material. 
     
     
       23. A process according to claim  1 , further comprising providing a warming stage for the mould after subjecting the mould to the low temperature environment. 
     
     
       24. A process according to claim  23 , wherein providing a warming stage comprises discharging warm air on the backs of the moulds. 
     
     
       25. A process according to claim  23 , wherein providing a warming stage comprises discharging warm air at a temperature range of 21° C. to 55° C. 
     
     
       26. A process according to claim  1 , further comprising providing a humidity control. 
     
     
       27. A moulded confectionary item produced by the process claimed in claim  1 . 
     
     
       28. An apparatus for producing a moulded soft confectionery item, comprising 
       a liquid confectionery depositor for depositing, in a liquid state, soft confectionery item selected from the group consisting of at least one of caramels, fudges, fondant creams, toffees, and jellies, the confectionery item based on at least one of starch, gelatine, pectin, agar-agar, gum Arabic, and soft fondant creams,  
       a heater for transforming the selected soft confectionery items into a liquid state,  
       a conveyor for transporting open-topped moulds beneath the depositor so as to receive liquid confectionery items dispensed thereby,  
       an enclosure for receiving the moulds and their contents as they are transported,  
       means for producing a low temperature environment of at least −60° C. within the enclosure whereby, in use, both the moulds and their contents are subjected to said low temperature environment, and  
       a demoulder adapted, in use, to demould the confectionery items present in the moulds.